Envelop or card feeding device.



' No. 754,434. PATENTED MAR; 15, 1904.

1). s. DUFUR.

ENVELOP 0R CARD FEEDING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 20, 1903.

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PATENTED MAR. 15, 1904.

D. S. DUFUR. ENVELOP 0R CARD FEEDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, 1903. '10 MODEL. 5 SHEET8-SHEET 2.

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PATEN'IED MAR. 15, 1904.

D. S. DUPUR. ENVELOP OR CARD FEEDING DEVICE.

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4 D. S; ISUPUR. ENVELOP OR GARD FEEDING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, 1903.

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UNITED. STATES Patented. March 15, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

. DOU GLAS s. DUFUR, or THE'DALLES, OREGON.

i .ENVELOP R CARD, FEYEDING DEVICE;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,434, dated March 15, 1904.

Application filed April 20, 1908. Serial No. 153,536- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DOUGLAS S. DUFUR, a citizen of the United States, residing at The Dalles, in the county of Wasco and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop or Card Feeding Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. p

The objectof this invention is to provide an improved form of apparatus for feeding writing material-such as envelops, postal cards, and the likefrom a suitable receptacle to any desired place forwriting or printing, especially into the platen or other writing-surface of a type-writing machine. v

A further object is to provide such a device that can be operated by and in conjunction with the apparatus for returning the carriage of a type-writer that forms the subject-matter of an application for United States Letters Patent filed by me on the 28th day of February, 1903, and bearing Serial No. 145,607.

With these objects in view and others my invention comprehends the construction, ar rangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In .the accompanying drawings, representing an apparatus embodyingmy invention in my preferred form, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a type-writer standhaving a typewriter thereon with my invention applied to the stand and type-writer. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the receptacle for holding the writing articles. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a plan view of thereceptacle. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through one of the operating-cylinders of the receptacle. Fig. dis a detail of the adjustment on the feeding means. Fig. 7 shows in elevation the ejector-plate. Fig. 8 shows the latter in section; Fig. 9 is a-view of the bottom'of the receptacle. Fig. 10 shows in section the follower plateoperating means. Fig. 11 shows in side elevation the several pressure devices connected with the stand. Fig. 12 shows the switch-valve. Fig. 13 shows the valve-operating means. Fig. 14 shows the valve operating pressure device. Fig. 15 shows a valve for switching the air from the main valve-operating device. Fig. 16 shows a detail of the support attachment of thereceptacle at the'top. Fig. 17 shows the receptacle-support at the bottom, and Fig. 18 is a detail of the receptacle-supporting member.

In the drawings, in which the characters of reference indicate the same parts, the receptacle or box for the envelops, cards, &c. comprises two side members A A and a front member A the top and back being left open. The bottom of the box A has a slot (.1 at'the front end, as shown in Fig. 9. v The envelops or cards are placed in the box and are 'advanced toward the front to register with the .said slot by a follower-plate B, that is operated by a cord 6, secured at its middle portion to the plate and having its end portions passed.

forward through elbows b thence around drums 6 secured on a. shaft 6. This shaft is retained under tension by the evolute spring 5 having one end secured to the shaft'and its other end to the casing I), that is mounted on a shelf A on top of the receptacle. the follower-plate is pulled back from the front of the box, this spring is put under tension, and that will tend to move the envelops up to the front and opposite the slot as fast as they are fed from the receptacle through the slot. l

. The envelop orcard lying against the front plate A is fed downward and through the slot by a pair of ejectors C, that are pivotally mounted on a rod 0 A rod 0 'is secured to each of the ejectors and is pivotally connected with a pin 0. A lolockc is rigidly secured to the rod 0 and has a forked portion through which passes the pin 0*. The latter pin has a threaded portion engaging a nut 0, located in said forks. A coiled spring c sur rounds the pin a between the forks and its hinged end. Consequently when the nut 0 is turned the ejectors will be rocked one way or the other with respect to the rod 0 Each end of the rod 0 has secured thereto a guide-block 0 that slides in a slot formed between each side plate and the front. The extremities of the rod 0 project slightly beyond these blocks 0 and are engaged by the slotted When extremities of bent levers c, that are pivoted on lugs 0 projecting from the sides of the receptacle. The levers are connected at their rear extremities by a bar 0 on which may be placed counterbalancing-weights 0 if desired, to compensate for the weight of the levers and the ejector mechanism.

A pair of cylinders D is carried by the bent extremities of the tube cl, located on top of the receptacle and supported by brackets d Each of these cylinders contains a piston d and piston-rod d. The outer ends of the piston-rod (1* contain slot d of a rod 03, which rod passes through apertures in the arm 0, integral with the levers c. Consequently when pressure from any suitable source is admitted to the pipe or tube at through its branch d it will pass into each cylinder through a suitable aperture in the bottom and move the pistons forward, the air beyond the pistons escaping through suitable apertures in their forward ends. This movement of the piston rods will rock the levers 0 and move the ejector mechanism downward, and when the pressure is relieved the counterweights, preferably assisted by exhaustion in the pipe d, will return the piston and pistonrods to their former positions, thereby raising the ejectors.

Each of the ejectors is preferably grooved at its engaging end, as shown in Fig. 8, and also contains a sharp selecting-blade 0 whose function is to separate the first envelop or card from the adjacent one and cause it to be engaged by the walls of the groove. The further movement of the ejectors after engaging with the upper edge of the envelop near each extremity will move the same downward through the slot at as desired. The envelop or card having been delivered, the follower-plate B will cause the remaining envelops to move toward the front, and the next envelop will be brought into position to be engaged by the ejectors when next moved downward by the said pressure devices.

Referring now to Fig. 9, showing the bottom of the box, 1 provide means for reducing the available area of the slot 0; in the receptacle through which the envelops or cards are fed, comprising a plate 9*, slidable in guideways W. A rod 1' has its threaded extremity tapped into a lug r, secured to the plate r. The other end of the rod 9 passes through a lug 0' secured to the bottom plate A, and on either side of this lug collars r 1' are secured to the rod. When the rod is rotated by a fixed milled head 9' since it is not movable endwise, its threaded engagement with the plate 9' will cause the latter to move backor forth to reduce the available area of the slot at. My preferred means for operating the said pressure devices that cause the ejectors to bereciprocated comprise a cylinder having a piston therein that is operated from a treadle swung back and forth by the foot of the opthe frame E of the stand is secured a compres- 7 sion-cylinder e, in which operates a piston e and piston-rod e A lever F is pivoted at f to the top E of the table. Across-head f is secured to the endof the piston-rod e and slides on guide-rods f f, that are held at one end by a bracket f and are secured to the cylinder at their other ends. A pin f projects from the cross-head f and engages the walls of aslot f in the lever F. Hence when the bent portion F of the lever is engaged by the foot of the operator and the lever thereby rocked the cross-head and piston will be reciprocated. The piston e is slidably mounted on the piston-rod e and has a movement thereon limited by abutments e e on the piston- 5 rod. When these parts are in the positions shown and the'lever F is moved forward, the

piston will serve to drive the air out of the cylinder through a pipe G; but when the lever F is moved in the opposite direction by the foot the piston will remain stationary in the cylinder until the piston-rod brings its abutment 0* against the piston, whereupon the piston will be retracted. When the piston is in this latter position, (indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 11,) the air on each side of the piston will have communication through an aperture 6 Consequently as the piston travels the air in advance of it will pass through the aperture 6 and the pressure in the pipe G will not be disturbed thereby. The pipe G leads to a valve-box H and enters it at a port h. This valve-box has two outlet-ports [L2 if. In the valve-box slides a hollow valve h, having apertures k If and also a slot [07. When the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 12, the aperture 70 registers with the port h, while when the valve is moved upward by mechanism hereinafter described the aperture its will register with the port 7?. In either position of the valve the slot 7& registers with I the port It. Hence the pipe G has communication with either of the ports k or h according to the position of the valve. The pipe G is connected, through the port 71., with the pipe d 7 by a flexible tube, preferably of rubber. Consequentlywhen the foot causes pressure in the pipe G by advancing the piston in the large cylinder the pressure thereby generated will become effective on the pistons (Z of the envelop-feeding device and the ejectors will be caused to feed an envelop or card from the box, and when the piston in the power-cylinder e is retracted by the foot the counterbalancing-weights will return the ejectors and 5 inder K, having a piston k and piston-rod k 3 drum and, the. other end to the sleeve n.

workingtherein. The piston-rod is connected, through bars 7? is, with the carriage of the type-writer, all of which mechanisms are specifically described in the aforesaid application and need not be further described herein.. The cylinder K is connected by a pipe Gr withthe port if in the valve-box. Consequently when the Valve if is in the position shown the operation of the power-cylinder will cause the carriage to be returned; but when the Valve 'is moved to close the port if and open the port if the power-cylinder e will operate the envelop-feeding mechanism.

In addressing envelops there are usually but three lines written thereon Hence it is advisable to cause the carriage-operating mechanism and platen-revolving means that operate simultaneously therewith, as set forth in'said pendingv application of mine, to be operated three times and then the valves shifted so that the carriage-operating pressure devices are cut out by the switch-valve it and the envelopfeeding pressure device is cut in, thereby to cause anotherenvelop to be fed from the receptacle. In order to accomplish such result, I provide a lever M, pivoted on a bracket m, one end of the lever being pivoted to the valve h". On a pair of armsN N is loosely carried a shaft, to which is secured a ratchet-wheel 12? and a toothed wheel a Onthe shaft 71. is

loosely mounted a sleeve 12*, to which is se cured a ratchet-wheel M, and the latter engages an anchorescapement n, secured to the arm N Adrum n is loosely mounted on the sleeve n and contains, an evolute spring nione end of the spring. being secured. to tile spur-wheel n is secured to the drum n and has pivoted thereon a pawl n that engages the ratchetwheeln By turning the ratchetwheel a the tension of the spring n 'may be adjusted, and said wheel n is held securely by the anchor n). A cylinder. 11 is secured to one leg of the stand and has a piston n and piston-rod n. A rack at is secured to the piston-rod n and engages the gear-wheel n". The cylinder at is connected with the power-cylinder 6 through a valve-box P and pipes 12 p The pressure from the power-cylinder will raise the piston n and cause its rack to rotate the gear-wheel n; but the pawl on the gear-wheel n will ride over the ratchetwheel n without moving it or the-shaft n;

but as soonas the pressure is relieved. in the said cylinders the springn that has just been put under tension, will rotate the gear-wheel n in the opposite direction and the pawl n 9, engaging the gear-wheel n will rotate the latter-and with it the toothed wheeln". This latter wheel has a pin n that will strike the under side of the lever M at a certain portion of its revolution and move the latter to shift the valve if. The above parts areso proportioned and arranged that the toothed wheel will be moved through a quadrant at each i reciprocation of the piston n, and the said parts are so timed that at the end of each third forward stroke of the lever F the pin will be brought under this lever M, and thereupon when the lever F is withdrawn the pin n will raise the lever M and shift the valve, holding it in its shifted position during the next forward stroke of the foot; This will result in the air from the power-cylinder being'shifted from the pipe G leading to the carriage-operating cylinder, to the pipe G leading to the envelop-feeding device. The next return 'of the foot-lever will cause the pin to pass beyond the end of the leverM, thus tripping the valve-lever, which will be returned to its former position and there retained by'a coiled spring m A spring m engages the teeth on the wheel 91, and serves to prevent backward movement of this wheel.

A frame S is secured to the top of thetable and carries abar s near its upper member.

'Apair of braces T Tcarry rollers t at their upper forked extremities, through which extremities passes the rod 8 engaging the bottom of the rollers t". "The lower ends of the bars T each have a roller t that slides ina U-shape'd-guide it, carried by the frame S. This latter means serves to prevent lateral movement of the bars T. Each of the bars T has an arm t containing a vertical slott, in which rests a pin t secured to the receptacleQ Each of the barsalso has an'arm t containing a slot t", in which rests a threadedpin t secured to the box, A nut is threaded on each 'of'the pins t and serves to secure the box toeach 'of the arms t It may be added that afterthe first en velop has been engaged between the platenroller vand the feed-roller and has been drawn through the rollers until the bottom of the envelop is yet against thepaper-guide the second envelop is then dropped in front of the firstone, which puts it inalapped position for feeding through the machine, and in this manner a continuous belt is formed by the envelops themselves, which insures the correct feeding of. them through the machine. Another obj'ect of having the envelops go through the machine lapped. is to save any extra travel of the platento put the second envelop and those following it in position for the first line of writing thereon.

Having now fully described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isf

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her constructed to feed writing articles therefrom in succession, means constructed to adjust said member to varying thicknesses of writing articles, a pneumatic device arranged to operate the said member, and pneumaticallyoperated means under the control of the operator and constructed and arranged to actuate said pneumatic device, substantially as described.

3. In a type-writing machine having the usual carriage and platen, the combination of a receptacle, a member constructed to feed writing articles therefrom in succession, a device arranged to operate said member, a device arranged to eflect the return of the type-writer carriage, a common actuating means constructed and arranged for actuating both of said devices, and means constructed to shift said common actuating means to position for operating either of said devices independently of the other, substantially as described.

4. In a type-writing machine having the usual carriage and platen, the combination of a receptacle, a member constructed to feed writing articles therefrom in succession, a device arranged to operate said member, a device arranged to effect the return of the type-writer carriage, a common actuating means constructed and arranged for actuating both of said devices, and means constructed to shift said common actuating means to position for operating either of said devices independently of the other, substantially as described.

5. In a type-writing machine having the usual carriage and platen, the combination of a receptacle, a member constructed to feed writing articles therefrom in succession, a pneumatic device arranged to operate said member, a pneumatic device arranged to effect the return of the type-writer carriage, a common pneumatic actuating means constructed and arranged for actuating both of said pneumatic devices, and means arranged to shift said common pneumatic actuating means in operative connection with either of said pneumatic devices, substantially as described.

6. The combination, in a type-writer, of a reciprocable member, a pressure device arranged to move said member in one direction, a second pressure device, means of communication between the said pressure devices, the said second pressure device being arranged to cause the first pressure device to move said member, means for actuating said second pressure device by the operator, a receptacle, a member arranged to feed Writing material from the receptacle, a third pressure device arranged to operate said feeding member, means of communication between the second pressure device and the third pressure device, and means for closing either of said means of communication, substantially as described.

7 The combination, in a type-writer, of a reciprocable member, a pressure device arranged to move said member in one direction,

a second pressure device arranged to cause the first pressure device to move said member, and means for actuating the second pressure de-v vice by the operator, a receptacle, a member arranged to feed the writing material from the receptacle, a third pressure device arranged to operate the feed member, means of communication between the second pressure device and the third pressure device, a valve arranged to close the means of communication between the second and third pressure devices when in one position, and to close means of communication between the second and first pressure devices when in another position, and means for automatically shifting said valve at predetermined intervals, substantially as described.

8. The combination, in a type-writer, of a receptacle, a member arranged to feed writing articles therefrom in succession, operating means arranged to be actuated by the leg of the operator, means for causing the operating means to return the carriageof the type-writer, means for causing said operating means to operate the feeding means, and means for shifting the operating means from each of said means to the other, substantially as described.

9. The combination, in a type-writer, of a receptacle, a member arranged to feed writing articles therefrom in succession, operating means arranged to be actuated by the leg of the operator, means for causing the operating means to return the carriageof the type-writer, means for causing said operating means to operate said feeding means, a power device arranged to accumulate power from the movement of the operating device to actuate either of said means, the power device being arranged to shift the operating means from each of said means to the other at the latter part of the return stroke of said operating device, substantially as described.

10. The combination, in a type-writer, of a reciprocable member, a pressure device arranged to move said member in one direction, a second pressure device arranged to cause the first pressure device to move said member, and means for actuating the second pressure device by the operator, a receptacle, a member arranged to feed the writing material from the receptacle, a third pressure device arranged to operate the feed member, means of communication between the second pressure device and the third pressure device, a valve arranged to close the means of communication between the second and third pressure devices when in one position, and to close means of communication between the second and first pressure devices when in another position, means for automatically shifting said valve at predetermined intervals, said means comprising a valve, a spring arranged to operate said valve when put undertension, a fourth pressure device having means of communication with the second pressure device and arranged to put said spring under tension when the second pressure device is operated, substantially as described.

11. The combination of a receptacle having a slot therein, a reciprocable bar having a grooved edge and arranged to deliver writing articles from the receptacle at said slot, a lever having one end connected with said bar, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder and connected with said lever, and a pressure device arranged to advance and retractsaid piston, substantially as described.

12. The combination of a receptacle having a slot therein, a reciprocable bar on each side of the receptacle arranged to feed writing articles therefrom at said slot, each said bar having a lever connected therewith, a pair of cylinders, a piston in each cylinder connected with one of said levers, respectively, a counterweight on each of said levers, and a pressure device connected with the cylinders and arranged to advance and retract the pistons and connected parts, substantially as described.

18. The combination of a receptacle, a movable member arranged to deliver articles therefrom in succession, a device on said member arranged to engage the articles, a device on said latter device arranged to move said articles into position for engagement with said en'-' gaging device, and means on said member ar- 14. The combination of a receptacle provided with a slot, a reciprocable member, an

ejector pivotally secured to said reciprocable member and provided with a grooved end and selecting-blade arranged to engage writing articles in the receptacle and deliver them at said slot, and means constructed to adjust said ejector about its pivot, substantially as described.

15. In a type-writing machine having the usual carriage, the combination of a receptacle carried by the type-writer carriage and having a slot therein, a reciprocable bar having a grooved edge and arranged to deliver writing articles from the receptacle at said slot, a lever having one end connected with said bar, a cylinder, a'piston in said cylinder and connected with said lever, and a pressure device arranged to advance and retract said piston, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 'in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DOUGLAS S. DUFUR.

Witnesses:

R. G. DYRENFORTH, E. T. BRANDENBURG. 

